1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to couplings having male and female portions for interconnecting subassemblies, and relates in particular to a precision coupling for axially and radially securing a specimen holder to a positioning assembly for mounting a specimen, such as a laboratory rodent, in an imaging machine such as an X-ray, CAT, MRI or PET machine.
2. Description of Prior Developments
Medical researchers and doctors need to study various anatomical features using different types of imaging devices such as X-ray machines, computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT) scanning machines, MRI machines and photon emission tomography (PET) machines. In order to produce images with the most detail and clarity, individual images from the various types of imaging devices are combined using sophisticated software to produce composite images.
In order to produce optimum composite images, the specimen being imaged must be accurately located within the field of view of each machine. This requires that the specimen be imaged in one machine, removed from that machine and properly located and set up in one or more additional imaging machines for additional imagining. This process can be time consuming and labor intensive.
What is needed is a method and apparatus for quickly, easily, accurately and repeatably positioning a specimen within the field of view of the same imaging machine and/or a series of different imaging machines over a period of time. A particular need exists for a convenient way to connect and disconnect a specimen holder to and from a modular receiver or positioning receiver system on one imaging machine and then connect and disconnect the same specimen holder to and from a different imaging machine without any complicated set up procedures.